Bad Luck For Hellmuth
Published: Monday, July 10, 2006 Online-Casinos.com
BAD LUCK FOR HELLMUTH
10th WSOP bracelet eludes poker star
You had to feel for Phil Hellmuth in the $5 000 No-Limit Hold 'Em WSOP event number 9 last week. It was an opportunity for the poker star to join the elite group of world class players who have won 10 WSOP bracelets, but it eluded him.
Hellmuth fought his way to the final table through a field of 622 hopefuls and found himself with a chip count of 461 000 in the company of the following:
1: Pro poker player Vinnie Vinh, the chip leader at 784 000
2: Popular female pro Isabelle "No Mercy" Mercier, 301 000
3: Veteran tournament pro Eugene Todd, 240 000
4: "The Flying Dutchman" Marcel Luske, 458 000
5: First time tournament player Jeff Cabanillas, 275 000
6: Tournament professional Douglas Carli, 273 000
7: Dan Smith, short stacked at 117 000
8: Thomas Schreiber, 200 000
The packed audience was treated to some great action poker as the players were eliminated one by one, with exchanges between Hellmuth, youngster and first timer Jeff Cabanillas, Eugene Todd and Luske, who eventually crashed out in fourth place.
Veteran tournament pro Eugene Todd was next to go, leaving the head to head between Hellmuth and Cabanillas with that tenth bracelet within the former's reach as a special bonus to the big prize money. The chip counts at that stage were 1.7 million with Cabanillas and 1.4 million for Hellmuth.
The chip lead fluctuated several times during the next three hour, 120 hand epic battle and, over the time period, the first timer was able to work himself back into command of the match, encouraged by a vociferous band of supporters. Some of those comments resulted in Hellmuth calling in the tournament director to introduce a little more order to the scene.
In the end, despite the heroic efforts and consummate poker skills on display, it was Cabanillas who won the game, depriving Hellmuth of both the $818 546 winner's prize but also that elusive tenth bracelet, leaving Hellmuth with the consolation of a $423 893 addition to his bank balance.
Hellmuth was gracious in defeat, saying: "Jeff played some great poker today and deserves to win. He will make an excellent champion."
